Scene set for Sixth Round weekend

Thursday 28 February 2019

The race to lift the William Hill Scottish Cup is down to its final eight contenders, as players and fans alike prepare for a mammoth few days of Sixth Round action.

An octet of teams remain in contention for football’s oldest trophy, with each side hoping to punch their ticket to Hampden Park for April’s Semi-Final weekend and make their own piece of club history.

The eyes of Scottish football fans nationwide will be on Easter Road as the Sixth Round gets underway on Saturday evening, as Celtic interim manager Neil Lennon leads his new charges to the home of former employers Hibs for a highly-anticipated encounter (live on Premier Sports, kick-off 5.15pm).

Lennon – who lifted the Scottish Cup twice during his first spell in charge at Celtic Park – will be hoping his side continues their proud defensive record in the competition, with the defending champions having kept a clean sheet in each of their last five Scottish Cup fixtures.

However, that record will come under pressure from a Hibs side who have scored eight goals in their three matches since appointing Paul Heckingbottom as Lennon’s successor.

Taking on our Keep It Off The Deck Challenge for the Sixth Round are @HibernianFC

A Sunday double-header kicks-off in style at Pittodrie, as Aberdeen and Rangers square off for a place in the last four in what is sure to be a hotly-contested affair (live on Premier Sports, kick-off 1.30pm).

Having notched four goals in Rangers’ Fifth Round replay victory over Kilmarnock, the visiting supporters will be hoping for another inspired performance from Alfredo Morelos this weekend as they look to take a step closer to lifting the trophy.

Their hosts have a goal-scoring hero of their own to cheer, though – Sam Cosgrove’s tally of 17 goals in all competitions includes a brace in Aberdeen’s 4-1 win over Queen of the South in their most recent Scottish Cup encounter.

Attentions will then switch to Tannadice, where an all-Championship tie will see Dundee United and Inverness Caledonian Thistle battle it out for the right to progress to the Semi-Finals (live on BBC One Scotland, kick-off 3.30pm).

The visitors will be hoping to exact a measure of revenge on their hosts, who cruised to a comprehensive 5-0 victory in Inverness when the two sides met in the Sixth Round of the 2013-14 competition.

The victors will be the first team from Scottish football’s second tier to earn a place in the last four since the 2016-17 season, when Hibernian beat Ayr United to book their place at the home of Scottish football.

A small piece of Scottish Cup history will be made under the Monday night floodlights in the Sixth Round’s final tie, as Hearts’ trip to Partick Thistle will be the first match in the competition to be broadcast live on the new BBC Scotland channel (kick-off 7.05pm)

Hearts will be looking to win a Sixth Round tie for the first time since 2012 – on that occasion, the Jambos went on to lift the trophy at Hampden Park, something Craig Levein and the current Hearts outfit will doubtless be looking to emulate.

Their opponents will be hoping to make full use of home advantage, however, with the Firhill men’s sights firmly set on a first Semi-Final appearance in 17 years.

On Thursday night 1830-1930..

Sportsound "On the road" comes from Partick Thistle ahead of their Scottish Cup tie with Hearts: